Compact with lateral support base

ABSTRACT

The compact has a bottom, a cover, a hinge fixing the cover to the bottom, the cover and the bottom defining an average opening plane P of the compact, and forming a junction defining a closed external contour C in the plane P. The compact includes at least one bearing surface A on a typically horizontal plane support H defining a support surface or polygon S with area S s , so as to have a compact with a “vertical” position. The contour C has a centre of gravity G forming a solid angle α with the support surface S, with a minimum angle α M  typically varying from α 1 =15° to α 2 =60°, so as to simultaneously have a compact that is stable in the vertical position.

DOMAIN OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the domain of compacts used to package makeupproducts, typically makeup powders.

STATE OF THE ART

In general, compacts typically comprise:

-   -   a hollow cover usually with an internal mirror,    -   a hollow bottom, typically provided with a inner frame or        intermediate support with at least one cup in which the said        cosmetic will be held,    -   a hinge, forming the connection device between the said cover        and the said bottom, to articulate the said cover and the        opening of the said compact,    -   a closer or any other means of locking and unlocking the said        cover with respect to the said bottom, so as to open and close        the said compact, a closer typically being a push button.

A very large number of embodiments of compacts are known, which mayrelate to one or several constituents of the compact, particularly tothe closer or opening of the compact.

Thus, some of the patents issued by the inventors include:

-   -   patent FR 2 661 080 that describes a makeup compact with a small        closer,    -   patent FR 2 725 958 that relates to a compact with edge to edge        closing and assisted opening,    -   patent FR 2 737 192 that describes a compact with a pivoting        cover provided with a hinge with flexible tabs,    -   patent FR 2 755 352 that describes a compact with assisted        opening,    -   patent FR 2 755 353 that describes a compact with an unlocking        and pre-opening push button,    -   and patent FR 2 794 723 that describes a compact with improved        pre-opening.

PROBLEMS THAT ARISE

As is clear from the state of the art mentioned, compacts according tothe state of the art simultaneously have a very wide variety oftechnical features, and also are very similar in shape despite thesetechnical features. In fact, all these compacts are typically round,rectangular or oval compacts, which are not particularly different fromeach other apart from the decor, the technical features usually beingrelated to handling of the compact and are located at the hinge, theinner frame, the closer, the leak tightness of the compact, etc., andthese features are not even visible when the compact is closed, sincethey are typically deliberately made invisible or hardly visible, sothat the “technical” aspect of the compact is cannot be seen.

Therefore one major problem that arises in the domain of compacts is torenew and diversify available compacts. The offer on sale is firstlyvisual, what the potential purchaser sees on the display unit.Therefore, it is essential for purchasing the compact.

The purpose of the invention is to define technical means that enablesuch renewal and diversification of the offer.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, the compact that will be placed on atypically horizontal plane support H comprises a bottom, a cover, ahinge fixing the said cover to the said bottom directly or through ainner frame fixed to the said bottom, so as to enable opening of thesaid compact by rotation of the said cover with respect to the saidbottom, and a closing means typically consisting of a closer, the saidcover and the said bottom defining an average opening plane P of thesaid compact, typically parallel to the said hinge, the said cover andthe said bottom forming a junction defining a closed external contour Cin the said plane P, the said cover being closed and is characterised inthat:

-   -   a) the said compact includes at least one bearing surface A on        the said plane support H defining a support surface or polygon S        with area S_(s), typically perpendicular to the said plane P and        the said contour C, so as to have a compact with a so-called        “vertical” position,    -   b) the said compact has a height h measured along the vertical        equal to at least 30 mm,    -   c) the said contour C has a centre of gravity G forming a solid        angle α with the said support surface S, with a minimum angle        α_(M) typically varying from α₁=15° to α₂=60°, so as to        simultaneously have a compact that is stable in the vertical        position, such that the said compact has a surface R projected        laterally onto a vertical plane V with a large area S_(R), the        said area S_(R) typically being greater than the area S_(S) of        the said support polygon, and possibly greater than the area        S_(E) corresponding to the orthogonal projection E of the said        compact on the said plane support H, and thus it has large side        visibility typically when the said compact is placed on a shelf        or a display unit.

The minimum angle α_(M) is the angle between the straight line normal tothe plane P and passing through the centre of gravity G, and thestraight line GF passing through the edge of the support surface Sclosest to the said normal straight line, such that this angle is equalto the minimum rotation to be applied to the said compact before ittips. For example, see FIGS. 1, 2 a and 4 b.

Preferably, the minimum angle α_(M) may typically vary from α₁=20° toα₂=40°, compacts with an angle α_(M) varying from 25° to 35° beingparticularly slender and stable.

The combination of means a) to c) according to the invention provides ameans of solving the problem that arises. It opens the opportunity for acomplete new family of compacts that can potentially have an infinitevariety of shapes.

Essentially, the invention has radically modified the technical elementsof known compacts according to the state of the art, and theirtopological relation; in compacts according to the state of the art inparticular, the said plane P is typically parallel to its bearingsurface A on a plane support that defines a support surface or polygonS, while it is typically perpendicular to its bearing surface incompacts according to the invention.

Therefore, the invention has transformed the topological organizationbetween the technical elements of compacts, since all compacts includingcompacts according to the state of the art comprise a average openingplane P of the said compact, and a bearing surface defining a supportsurface or polygon S on a typically horizontal plane support, thecompacts forming part of objects designed to be placed on a typicallyplane and horizontal surface and not, for example, objects intended tobe attached by a hook or placed in compartments.

Furthermore, by convention compacts are typically represented as beingplaced on a horizontal support, such that every compact has a verticaldirection and a bearing surface that is always immediately identifiable.

Furthermore, note that the means according to the invention arecompletely unrelated to the shape itself of the said compacts. The meansaccording to the invention do not define an external shape, but rather atopology, the outside shape of the compacts according to the inventionmay be arbitrary provided that the said compact satisfies thecombination of technical requirements a) to c) above.

Compacts according to the invention have the advantage of providing goodside visibility, typically when the said compact is placed on a shell oron a display unit, because they have a surface R with a large laterallyprojected area S_(R), particularly by projection on a vertical plane Vtypically parallel to the said plane P.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIGS. 1 to 5 b relate to compacts (1) according to the invention, FIGS.6 a to 6 c corresponding to compacts (1′) according to the state of theart; these compacts are shown diagrammatically.

In all FIGS. 1 to 8 b, only essential compact topology elements ingeneral have been shown, namely typically in the horizontal plane H, thebearing surface A and the support surface or polygon S, and in plane P,the centre of gravity G and the curve C.

The hinge (4) has been sometimes represented, but not the closertypically located on the opposite side of the hinge (4) so as to not puttoo much information in the figures. The said hinge has beendiagrammatically shown by a rectangle shown in dashed lines in FIGS. 1,3 b, 4 a, 4 b, 7 a, 7 b, 8 a and 8 b, and continuous lines in FIGS. 6 aand 6 b, or by a hollow circle with a continuous line in FIGS. 3 a, 5 a,5 b, depending on whether it is a side view or a cross-sectional view.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view diagrammatically showing generic elementsof the compact (1) that define its topology, any compact according tothe invention including:

-   -   a support surface or polygon S on a horizontal plane H, the said        surface or polygon being delimited by a curve F,    -   a contour C corresponding to the external junction between the        cover and the bottom of the compact, in a typically vertical        plane P, the said contour C forming a closed curve with centre        of gravity G,    -   an angle α_(M), in other words the minimum angle between the        straight line passing through G and the straight line GF that        bears on the said curve F.

FIG. 2 a corresponds to FIG. 1, but the bearing surface of the saidcompact includes two bearing surfaces A₁ and A₂, the view in FIG. 2typically corresponding to the compact in FIG. 3 b after an axialrotation of 90°. Neither the curve C nor the hinge (4) is shown in FIG.2.

FIG. 2 b shows surfaces E and R projected by the said compact (1) ontothe horizontal plane H and the vertical plane V respectively. Thecompact is shown in dashed lines, the said compact (1) being similar tothat shown in FIG. 4 a.

FIG. 3 a represents a diagrammatic view of a compact (1) in a planeperpendicular to plane P and to the said hinge, the said hinge (4) beingparallel to the plane H and close to the said plane H. Another sectionthrough the compact is shown in dashed lines, the profile of the saidcompact (1) in the plane of the Figure perpendicular to the said plane Pnot being constant. In this Figure, the bottom (2) and the cover (3) aretypically symmetric about the plane P.

FIG. 3 b represents a diagrammatic sectional view of a compact (1) in aplane perpendicular to plane P, the hinge (4) not being perpendicular tothis plane, and typically being parallel to this plane. In this Figure,the bottom and the cover are not symmetric with respect to the plane P.

FIGS. 4 a and 4 b are perspective side views that illustrate two variantcompacts (1) in which the said hinge (4), as in the case in FIG. 3 a, isparallel to the said plane H and is close to the said plane H. In thesefigures, the bottom and the cover are symmetric about the plane P.

In FIG. 4 a, the curve C is a half ellipse, whereas it is a half circlein FIG. 4 b.

FIG. 5 a corresponds to FIG. 3 a, but in the compact (1) in FIG. 5 a,the said plane P forms an angle β<90° with the plane H.

FIG. 5 b corresponds to FIG. 5 a, but has a hinge (4) parallel to thesaid plane H, but at a distance from the said plane H.

FIGS. 6 a to 6 c are side views related to compacts (1′) according tothe state of the art.

FIG. 6 a illustrates the value of the angle α_(M) in the case of arectangular compact placed normally on a plane support H.

FIG. 6 b illustrates the value of the angle α_(M) in the case in whichthe same compact is placed on the edge, in other words abnormally sinceit is not very stable.

FIG. 6 c illustrates the case of a compact with an oval profile, thatcan oscillate like a weeble but which always returns to its stableposition.

FIG. 7 a shows a perspective view of a compact (1) similar to that inFIG. 3 a but with a variable profile in a plane perpendicular to planeP.

FIG. 7 b is a perspective view of a compact (1) that is firstly in theform of a weeble, and secondly and independently has a curved plane P′in substitution of the said plane P.

FIGS. 8 a and 8 b are perspective views of a compact (1) with twoadjacent parts forming an angle γ between them and comprising two planesP, one part with a plane P₁ and a centre of gravity G₁ and the otherwith a plane P₂ and a centre of gravity G₂.

The compact (1) according to FIG. 8 a only includes one hinge (4), whilethe compact (1) according to FIG. 8 b includes two hinges and thereforetwo covers (3).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, the said medium contact plane P and the saidcontour C may form an angle from the said support surface S, β=90°±25°.

The said angle β may be equal to 90°±5°, and is preferably equal to 900.

Thus, in FIGS. 1, 2 a, 3 a, 3 b and 4 a, the said plane P makes an angleof 90° with the support surface S which is coincident with thehorizontal plane H.

However, an angle of approximately 90° is necessary in FIG. 7 a, and anangle quite different from 90° is required in FIGS. 5 a and 5 b.

According to one variant of the invention and as illustrated in FIGS. 1,3 a, 4 a, 4 b, 5 a and 7 a, the said bearing surface A may include thesaid hinge (4) or is typically parallel to the said hinge and at a smalldistance from the said hinge, typically less than 10 mm, so as to form aso-called “back” bearing surface (11).

In this case, the closer (5) typically opposite the hinge, is located atthe upper part of the compact (1).

According to another variant of the invention and as illustrated inFIGS. 3 b and 7 b, the said bearing surface A may form an angle with thesaid hinge (4) varying from 45° to 135° and typically close to 90°, soas to form a so-called “lateral” bearing surface (12).

According to another variant of the invention and as illustrated in FIG.5 b, the said bearing surface A may include the said closing means (5)or it may be at a small distance from the said closing means, typicallyless than 10 mm, so as to form a so-called “front” bearing surface (10).

In compacts according to the invention, the said area S_(E) may begreater than the said area S_(S), as typically illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3b, 5 a and 5 b, but the said area S_(E) may also be equal to the saidarea S_(S) as illustrated in FIGS. 3 a, 4 a, 4 b, 7 a.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 a and 3 b, the said bearing surface A on thesaid plane support may be formed by at least two bearing surfaces A₁ andA₂ with area S_(A1)+S_(A2) less than the area of the said supportsurface of area S_(S).

Although the invention does not require a predetermined shape for thesaid bearing surface A or the said support surface S, the said supportsurface S and/or the said bearing surface A may typically be a circle,or an ellipse, or a regular or irregular polygon.

For example, FIG. 1 shows a square, FIG. 2 a shows a rectangle, FIGS. 2b and 4 a show an ellipse, FIG. 4 b shows a circle, FIG. 7 a shows atrapezium, and FIGS. 8 a and 8 b show a pentagon.

As illustrated in FIGS. 3 a, 3 b, 4 a, 4 b and 7 a, the said compact mayhave a profile or section in a horizontal plane parallel to the saidbearing surface A or the said support polygon S, that is variable andtypically reduces as the distance from the said bearing surface A or thesaid plane support H reduces, so as to increase the stability of thesaid compact.

However, the said variable profile may reduce over a part of the heightof the compact and then increase, without departing from the scope ofthe invention.

According to the invention, the said contour C may comprise or form acombination of a straight line and typically an arc of a circle or anarc of an ellipse or a broken line, so as to have a variable profile orsection in a plane perpendicular to the said plane P.

The said curve C typically includes two parts, firstly a first partlocated in the plane P and secondly a second part closing the said firstpart, and typically in or close to the bearing surface A or the supportsurface S. In the figures, the said second part has beendiagrammatically shown by a straight line in the support surface S—seeFIGS. 1, 4 a, 4 b, 7 a.

The said first part of the curve C that in particular contributes togiving its external shape to the said compact may be very variable andthus for example form a complex arc in FIG. 1 or in FIG. 2 b, a brokenline with three straight line segments as shown in FIGS. 3 a to 7 a, aportion of an ellipse in FIG. 4 a, a portion of a circle in FIG. 4 b.

Thus, the shape of the curve C itself may be arbitrary, based ongeometric criteria, to the extent that there is an infinite number ofcurves C with the same centre of gravity G.

According to the invention, the said height h of the compact (1) maytypically vary from 40 mm to 70 mm, but heights of up to 100 mm arepossible for large compacts, and heights as low as 30 mm are possiblefor small compacts.

Preferably, the said height h of the said compact (1) in the so-called“vertical” position is typically the largest dimension of the saidcompact.

This is usually advantageous; however, cases can arise in which thelargest dimension of the compact is not its height h, particularly forsome particular compacts.

Even if in theory a compact (1) may be placed in different manners onits plane support H, in practice there is only one way of placing itconsidering the decoration of the compacts and the graphics which cannotbe read unless the compact is placed in a predetermined orientation, andtherefore its vertical direction (13) is imposed.

In compacts according to the invention, the said bottom and the saidcover may have plane or non-plane external surfaces. As in the case ofthe curve C, this applies to variants allowed by the invention withinthe context of a compact comprising the same basic topological data,namely the position of the centre of gravity G of the curve C withrespect to the support surface S.

Advantageously, as illustrated in FIG. 2 b, the said area S_(R) may begreater than the said area S_(E).

According to one embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 7 b,the said bearing surface A may be a curved surface, the said compactacting like a weeble with an equilibrium position for which the saidcentre of gravity G is projected vertically inside the said supportpolygon S, the curvature of the said bearing surface being such thatwhen the said compact moves away from its equilibrium position, the saidcentre of gravity G creates a torque tending to return the compacttowards the said equilibrium position.

As can be seen in FIG. 7 b, when the compact is inclined towards theright, the initial support surface S₁ becomes S₂ and since the centre ofgravity G is to the left of the straight line N₂ normal to S₂, the saidcompact returns towards the left towards its equilibrium position. Thesame is true when the compact is inclined towards the left, its initialsupport surface S₁ becomes S₃.

The compact according to FIG. 6 c is a “weeble” compact according to thestate of the art.

According to another embodiment of the compact according to theinvention, the said plane P may be replaced by a regulated and curvedsurface P′ as also illustrated in FIG. 7 b. Although it is convenient tohave compacts in which the cover (3) and the bottom (2) form a contactplane P between the edge of the said cover and the edge of the saidbottom when the said compact is closed (apart in the hinge area), thereis no reason why the contact between the edges of the cover and thebottom of the compact according to the invention should not be typicallyadjusted, and possibly a left surface that may or may not be adjusted,with the edges of the cover and the bottom matching for example like thetwo valves of a shell.

Although this embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 7 b showing the “weeble”compact, this embodiment is independent of the “weeble” aspect of thecompact.

According to another embodiment of the compact according to theinvention and as illustrated in FIGS. 8 a and 8 b, an assembly formed byplanes P₁ and P₂ with an angle γ between them varying between 120 to170°, may be substituted for the said plane P.

In this case, as illustrated in FIG. 8 b, the support surface S isautomatically larger.

The compact according to FIG. 8 b comprises two hinges (4) and twocovers (3), the configuration of the compact with two planes P₁ and P₂being quite suitable for this embodiment. However, this embodiment doesnot in itself require the presence of two planes P₁ and P₂.

EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

All Figures—except for FIGS. 6 a to 6 c-show example embodiments ofcompacts according to the invention.

These compacts are typically made by moulding a bottom provided withhinge and closer elements, and moulding a cover provided with hinge andcloser elements complementary to the corresponding elements on thebottom.

After bringing the hinge elements on the bottom and the cover to faceeach other, they are typically assembled by means of a central hingepin.

According to one variant, the bottom includes a inner frame fixed to thesaid bottom, the said inner frame supporting the said hinge and/orcloser element.

The compacts according to the invention have been used for packagingcosmetics such as an agglomerated powder, and in general for allso-called “solid” cosmetics that will not deform by gravity under theaction of their own weight.

ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

The invention has many advantages in practice. As illustrated as anexample in the figures, the compacts according to the inventionintroduce a new topology that:

-   -   reduces the size of the “footprint” of compacts, in other words        the space occupied on bathroom shelves or in display units,    -   provides a wide lateral extent, typically decorated, to a person        using it or looking at it on a display unit,    -   radically modifies the visual perception of compacts according        to the invention compared with compacts according to the state        of the art, so as to considerably renew the offer of new        compacts,    -   makes it possible to create a virtually infinite number of        shapes starting from the same basic topology, so as to customise        the said compacts.

These are important advantages in the field of packaging cosmetics.

LIST OF MARKS

-   -   Compact . . . 1, 1′        -   “Front” bearing surface . . . 10        -   “Back” bearing surface . . . 11        -   “Side” bearing surface . . . 12        -   Vertical direction . . . 13    -   Bottom . . . 2    -   Cover . . . 3    -   Hinge . . . 4    -   Closer . . . 5

1. Compact (1) for packaging cosmetics such as an agglomerated powder,that will be placed on a typically horizontal plane support H comprisinga bottom (2), a cover (3), a hinge (4) fixing the said cover (3) to thesaid bottom (2), directly or through a inner frame fixed to the saidbottom, so as to enable opening of the said compact by rotation of thesaid cover with respect to the said bottom, and a closing meanstypically consisting of a closer (5), the said cover (3) and the saidbottom (2) defining an average opening plane P of the said compact (1),typically parallel to the said hinge (4), the said cover (3) and thesaid bottom (2) forming a junction defining a closed external contour Cin the said plane P, the said cover being closed, and characterised inthat: a) the said compact (1) includes at least one bearing surface A onthe said plane support H, defining a support surface or polygon S witharea S_(s), typically perpendicular to the said plane P and the saidcontour C, so as to have a compact (1) with a so-called “vertical”position, b) the said compact (1) has a height h measured along thevertical equal to at least 30 mm, c) the said contour C has a centre ofgravity G forming a solid angle α with the said support surface S, witha minimum angle α typically varying from α₁=15° to α₂=60°, so as tosimultaneously have a compact (1) that is stable in the verticalposition, such that the said compact (1) has a surface R projectedlaterally onto a vertical plane V with a large area S_(R), the said areaS_(R) typically being greater than the area S_(E) of the said supportpolygon, and possibly greater than the area S_(E) corresponding to theorthogonal projection E of the said compact on the said plane support H,and thus it has large side visibility typically when the said compact isplaced on a shelf or a display unit.
 2. Compact (1) according to claim 1in which the said average contact plane P and the said contour C formsan angle β<9°±25° from the said support surface S.
 3. Compact accordingto claim 2 in which the said angle β is equal to 90°±5°, and ispreferably equal to 90°.
 4. Compact according to claim 1 in which thesaid bearing surface A comprises the said hinge (4) or is typicallyparallel to the said hinge and at a small distance from the said hinge,typically less than 10 mm, so as to form a so-called “back” bearingsurface.
 5. Compact according to claim 1 in which the said bearingsurface A forms an angle with the said hinge (4) varying from 45° to135° and typically close to 90°, so as to form a so-called “lateral”bearing surface.
 6. Compact according to claim 1 in which the saidbearing surface A comprises the said closing means (5) or at a smalldistance from the said closing means, typically less than 10 mm, so asto form a so-called “front” bearing surface.
 7. Compact according toclaim 1 in which the said area S_(E) is greater than the said areaS_(S).
 8. Compact according to claim 1 in which the said area S_(E) isequal to the said area S_(s).
 9. Compact according to claim 1 in whichthe said bearing surface A on the said plane support is formed by atleast two bearing surfaces A₁ and A₂ with area S_(A1)+S_(A2) less thanthe said area of the said support surface S_(S).
 10. Compact accordingto claim 1 in which the said support surface S and/or the said bearingsurface A is typically a circle, or an ellipse, or a regular orirregular polygon.
 11. Compact according to claim 1 with a profile orsection in a horizontal plane parallel to the said bearing surface A orthe said support polygon S, that is variable and typically reduces asthe distance from the said bearing surface A or the said plane support Hreduces, so as to increase the stability of the said compact. 12.Compact according to claim 1 in which the said contour C comprises orforms a combination of a straight line and typically an arc of a circleor an arc of an ellipse or a broken line, so as to have a variableprofile or section in a plane perpendicular to the said plane P. 13.Compact according to claim 1 in which the said height h of the compact(1) typically varies from 40 mm to 70 mm.
 14. Compact according to claim1 in which the said height h of the said compact (1) in the so-called“vertical” position is typically the largest dimension of the saidcompact.
 15. Compact according to claim 1 in which the said bottom andthe said cover have plane or non-plane external surfaces.
 16. Compactaccording to claim 1 in which the said area S_(R) is greater than thesaid area S_(E).
 17. Compact according to claim 1 in which the saidbearing surface A is a curved surface, the said compact acting like aweeble with an equilibrium position for which the said centre of gravityG is projected vertically inside the said support polygon S, thecurvature of the said bearing surface being such that when the saidcompact moves away from its equilibrium position, the said centre ofgravity G creates a torque tending to return the compact towards thesaid equilibrium position.
 18. Compact according to claim 1 in which thesaid plane P is replaced by a regulated and curved surface P′. 19.Compact according to claim 1 in which an assembly formed by planes P₁and P₂ with an angle γ between them varying between 120 to 170°, issubstituted for the said plane P.